Levi s



(No Model.)

L. S. BRWN.

VEHICLE AXLE.

No. 433,482. Patented July 29, 1890 'vla @WVM/Leones wnsmmnon, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

LEVI S. BROWVN, OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ADOLPIIUS C. RAHTER AND FRANK T. SHAV, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

Vvrl-noLE-Axrra.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 433,432, dated July 29, 1890.

I Application tiled June l1, 1890. Serial No. 355,069. (No model.) I

T all whom, t may oon/cern:

Be it known that I, LEVI S. BROWN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at lVestminstcr, in the county of Carroll and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'Vehicle-Axles.

of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

useful improvements in axles for vehicles; and ithas for its object to provide a two-part interlocking spindle by means of which all wear in the boxing of the hub is taken up, thereby preventing rattling and wabbling of the wheel.

The invention consists of certain details of construct-ion and combination of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective View of the spindle. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section'of the sa1ne,showing the boxing thereon.- Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the spindle, the two interlocking part-s being separated.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the axle, upon the end of which is formed the rigid portion B (f the spindle. rIhis portion go B is somewhat shorter than the hub-boxing II and is turned down or otherwise slightly reduced in diameter upon its outer end for about half its length, as seen at l, the remaining portion 2 being of sufficient diameter to neatly t within the boxing.

In the periphery of the portion 2 of the spindle is formed a recess 3, for a purpose hereinafter described.

O represents the removable portion of the spindle, which is designed to slide upon the reduced portion l of the fixed part B of the spindle; and it consists of a metal tube of a length corresponding with that of the reduced portion l, and of such thickness that when in place its periphery will be flush with that of part B. A tongue or lug c, formed integral with the inner end of the removable portion C, is designed to enter the recess 3, as seen in Fig. l, which prevents the portion C from revolving with the wheel. Upon the This invention relates to certain new and outer end of the portion C is formed an annular flange 4, in the outer face of which is formed an annular recess 5, while on the inner face is formed an inwardly-projecting annular rim 6, said rim4 being of sufficient 55 diameter to overlap the end of the boxing.:

A nut D, cast integral with a ange 7, is provided on its inner face with a projection 8, of sufficient diameter tov neatly itwithin the recess 5 of the removable portion of the 6o spindle. A screw-threaded shank E, cast integral With or otherwise secured to the inner face of the nut, projects inwardly and engages with a screw-threaded opening F in the outer end of the fixed portion B of the spindle. A 6r; spiral spring G surrounds the screw-threaded shank E, and is designed to be interposed between the outer end of the fixed portion B of the spindle and the inner face of the nut. The pressure of the spring upon the nut, and 7o consequently upon the shank E, causes the threads of the latter'to bind upon those of the opening F, thus locking the nut in any position it may be turned. Y

In placing the wheel upon the spindle the nut and the removable portion O of the spindle are removed and the wheel is placed upon the fixed portion B. The removable portion C of the spindle is now placed over the'reduced end of the fixed portion and pushed 8o inward until the inner face of the flange 4 abuts against the end of the boxing. The screw-threaded shank is now screwed into the opening F, against the pressure of the spring, lunt-il the iange 0n the nut comes into 85 contact with the end of the spindle, when it will be held in this position by the tension of the spring.` The wheel is now ready for use. It will be seen that by this construction when the boxing becomes worn upon its ends, and 9o the wheel thereby becomes loose upon the spindle, it is only necessary to give the nut a slight turn, which forces the removable portion ot' the spindle farther into the boxing, thus making the spindle shorter and compensating for the wear of the boxing. A further advantage in this construction lies in the fact that the wheel bears upon the inner face of the flange on the removable portion O of the spindle, which portion is held stationary, roo

as before described, thus rendering it ini-possible for the Wheel to uns-crew the nut, as is common in spindles ot the ordinary construction, Where the Wheel bears directly upon the nut. It will also be seen that the rim 6, overlapping the end of the boxing, forms a dnstguard for preventing sand, dust, and the like from getting on the spindle.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vehicle-axle having a two-part interlocking` spindle, one part of which is formed integral with the axle, and has its outer portion reduced to a smaller diameter than its inner portion, the latter having a recess in its periphery, the other part being tubular in form and provided with alongitudinally-projeoting tongue, the tubular .part fitting over the reduced portion of the rigid part and the tongue engaging with the said recess, for the purposes stated.

2. In a vehicle-axle having a two-part in terlocking spindle, the combination, with the fixed part of the spindle, Whose outer portion is plain and of less diameter than its inner portion, said 4fixed part having a rccessin the peripher i of the larger portion and a screwthreaded opening in the end of the reduced portion, of the tubular adapted to fit over said reduced portion and having a longitudinally-projecting tongue to engage in said recess, and a fianged nut having a screw-threaded shank, the shank taking into the opening in the end of the fixed part, and the flange bearing against the end of the tubular part, as described, and for the purposes stated.

3. In a vehicle-axle having a two-part interlocking spindle, the combination, with the hub-boxing and the fixed part ot' the spindle, which is shorter than the hnb-boxin g, and has a recess in the periphery ot' its inner portion,

part of the spindle,

of the tubular part of the spindle, having a longitudinally-projecting tongue for engaging with the recess in the fixed part, and provided With a fiange upon its outer end, said flange having an annular rim upon its inner face adapted to fit over the hub-boxing, and a flanged nut having ascreW-threaded shank, which engages With the fixed and movable parts of the spindle to hold them together, for the purposes set forth.

4. In a vehicle-axle having a two-part interlocking spindle, the combinatiomwith the hub-boxing and the fixed part of the spindle, which is shorter than the hub-boxing and has a recess in the periphery of its inner portion an d a screw-threaded opening in its outer end, of the tubular part of the spindle having a longitudinally-projecting tongue for engaging with the recess in the fixed part and provided With a flange upon its outer end, said flange having an annular recess in its outer face and an' annular rim upon its inner face,

Aand a nut having a screw-threaded shank for engaging with the opening in the end of the v spindle, and provided With an integral flange having a projection upon its inner face adapted to tit in the recess in the outer end of the tubular part of the spindle, for the purposes set forth.

5. In a vehicle-axle havinga two-part spinl die constructed as described, a nut provided with a flange for engaging With the tubular Ipart of the spindle, and a screw-threaded shank for engaging' with the fixed part ot' the spindle, and a coiled spring surround-'ing the shank, substantially as described, and forthe purposes stated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LEVI S. BROWN. Vitnesses:

CHAs. T. SWINDERMAN, CAS. HARsToNE. 

